Elizabeth Pollard
Elizabeth Pollard (formerly Feldmann, nee Jeffries) was a character in Emmerdale from Episode 1435 (8th March 1990) to Episode 1829 (30th December 1993). She married dodgy businessman Eric Pollard in October 1992 and was killed in the plane crash that devastated the village the following year. For years there was speculation that Eric had murdered her as she knew about his cheque fraud and about a stolen Roman bracelet that he tried to frame her son Michael Feldmann for. In 2011, 17 years after her death it was revealed she had died from debris from the burning plane that fateful December night in 1993. Elizabeth was played by Kate Dove. Biography Backstory Elizabeth Pollard was born Elizabeth Jeffries, daughter of Barry Jeffries and his wife Constance Jeffries on 3rd May 1947. She had a sister Margaret. She married in the 1960s and had two children, Michael and Elsa Feldmann. They lived in Beckindale in the 1970s. 1990-1993 The family first appeared in Beckindale in 1990. She was soon fighting for the affections of Alan Turner and Eric Pollard. She chose Eric in the end despite knowing he was the biggest crook in the village. She hoped to change him when they married in October 1992. This was not to be. Elizabeth later found that Eric had planted a typewriter on her son Michael in order to hide the fact that he had been committing cheque fraud and was prepared to let Michael take the blame. On 30th December 1993 she left him, telling him she'd report him to the police. He tried to talk her out of it saying she'd get done for her role in the theft of antique vases but she said she'd her own imprisonment would be worth that for Eric's. She then left Victoria Cottage and went to Demdyke Row to babysit for her granddaughter Alice Bates. Eric later followed her and asked her what her intentions were. He demanded the papers for the stolen Roman bracelet and when he said he had been going through her things, she slapped him and stormed out to report him. Death on the night of the plane crash in December 1993 A few seconds after Elizabeth stormed out of the house, Eric followed her out. She was never seen alive again as a huge Eastern European airliner exploded 30'000 feet above the village and crashed. (Offscreen, Eric followed her across a field as she was on her way to see Frank Tate. The tree nearby burst into flames and the night sky lit up as fire and debris from the plane fell down. Eric backed away and then a short time later, he saw she was dead). The following morning, her body was found in a field near the village. Aftermath of her death and years of suspicion she was murdered. In January 1994, her son Michael, along with a few other villagers believed Eric had murdered her and used the plane crash as a cover-up, to stop her from exposing his fraudulent activities. Also, Michael wondered what his mother was doing in a field at that time of night when she was killed in the plane crash. Eric insisted Elizabeth's body was cremated rather than buried which made Michael more suspicious. In the end, she was buried and Michael soon left Beckindale in June 1994 having no evidence against Eric, but more so that he knocked Eric out during an argument and thought he killed him. Michael fled for the airport. Eric recovered and was happy that his thorn in his side had gone. It must have been several years before Michael found out that Eric was still alive, but he waited for a perfect moment to carry on his revenge plan. In December 2003, journalists flocked on the village asking the residents if they would be prepared to do a documentary marking the 10th anniversary of the plane crash. Everyone except Eric was against it. Eric was running for Mayor at the time and was willing to arrange to have the documentary filmed. However, when the press started asking questions on Elizabeth Pollard's death Eric called the whole thing off. In November 2010, almost 17 years after her death, Eric started receiving Christmas greetings and notes from "Elizabeth". This "Elizabeth" even signed the visitors book of the B&B that Eric ran with wife Val. Eric believed it to be his new foster child Amy Wyatt but on the eve of the anniversary of the plane crash, Episode 5804 (30th December 2010), when "Elizabeth" asked him to meet her at her grave, Michael Feldmann turned up, after almost 17 years away from the village. It transpired he had been sending the letters and cards. He vowed to get revenge on Eric for killing his mother 17 years before. In Episode 5807 (3rd January 2011) Eric told Val about the circumstances leading to Elizabeth's death, the cheque fraud, how he tried to blame Michael and the stolen Roman bracelet. He then explained how he went round to ask her what her intentions were and she stormed out into the night and he went after her and she ran onto the moor. And then he explained that he tried to get her to listen but she ran off screaming then a tree close by burst into flames, the sky lit up and it rained fire as debris from the passenger jet rained down. He then said he went back and found she was dead. Eric says he felt guilt because he wanted to kill her for exposing his scams, but the plane beat him to it. A day or 2 later, in Episode 5808 (4th January 2011) Val obtained the coroners report which confirmed she had died from wreckage from the plane. Michael Feldmann was forced to admit defeat and wanted to return the money he blackmailed Eric out of. Eric told him to keep it and make a new start. Michael then left the B&B, got into his car and drove out of the village into the night. In May 2011 Eric mentioned Elizabeth when him and son David Metcalfe were looking for Amy who went missing. In Episode 7235 (15th July 2015) Elizabeth was mentioned by Val when she referred to Eric defrauding his deceased ex wife. In Episode 7307/7308 (1st October 2015), Lawrence White, a one time resident of the village, threatened Eric with action over his past if he gave evidence against Chrissie Sugden. He threatened to get lawyers to dig up the dirt on his past. Lawrence then said "An ex-wife who died under mysterious circumstances. What was her name, Elizabeth"? Yet again, what happened to Elizabeth has come back to haunt Eric. Memorable info Birthday: 3rd May 1947 Died: 30th December 1993 (Aged 46) Full Name: Elizabeth Pollard (Nee Jeffries) Family Father Barry Jeffries Siblings '''Margaret Jeffries '''Spouse Mr Feldmann (first name never revealed in series) (1965-??) Eric Pollard (1992-1993) Children Michael Feldmann, Elsa Chappell Grandchildren Alice Bates See also Elizabeth Pollard - list of appearances Category:Emmerdale characters. Category:Past characters. Category:Characters first seen in 1990. Category:Characters last seen in 1993. Category:Feldmann family. Category:Pollard family. Category:Emmerdale deaths. Category:1947 births. Category:1965 marriages. Category:1992 marriages. Category:1993 deaths. Category:Deceased characters Category:Plane crash victims Category:Residents of Demdyke Row (Destroyed in 1993)